Deflecting tool



Jan. 2, 1951 Filed Oct.

L. R. LEISSLER DEFLECTING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet l Lee 12. Less! er L.- R. LEISSLER DEFLECTING TOOL Jan. 2; 1951 2 'sheis-shet 2 Filed Oct. 27. 1947 3mm Lcc E. Leissic'w Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE "DEFLECTING TOOL Lee R. Leissler, Pasadena, Tex, ,assignorlto Eastman Oil Well Survey fiompanypflenver, ;CQlo., a corporation of Delaware Appiicationflctober 27, 1947, Serial No. 782,270

(Cl.,28, fl 6,.1)

Carpenter, No. 2,402,238, issued June 18, 1946.

It is one object of the invention to provide an improved deflecting tool which is adapted to be lowered into position within a well bore and then offset or inclined in a predetermined or known directi-omwhereby the tool will operate efficiently in controlled or directional drilling, as well as in well straightening.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved tool of the character described which is arranged to be deflected and locked in a predetermined known direction while in the Well bore, whereby after such deflection, the drill stem or pipe to which the tool is attached may be rotated to orient the toolin the desired direction in which drilling is to be continued and also whereby after proper orientation of said tool, subsequent drilling may be performed.

A particular object of the invention'is to pro vide an improved deflecting tool wherein a gravity actuated means is associated with the tool for accomplishing deflection or inclination of said tool, said means being normally restrained against movement and being released when the tool .is within the well bore so that the gravity actuated meansassumes a predetermined position with respect to the tool, whereby when the means is again restrained from movement it causes a predetermined known deflection of said tool which permits accurate orientation of the tool within the bore; the construction of the tool being such that when subsequent drilling is carried out, the weight of the drill pipe is not imposed upon or carried by the gravity act iated means but rather, is transmitted directly to the drill tool, whereby the gravity actuated means is protected against undue load.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved deflecting tool of the character described which is so constructed that the universal ioi-nt thereof is more or less self cleaning and will not lend itself to the accumulation of extraneous particles on the operating surface thereof, whereby more efficient operationwill be assured. Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved deflecting tool having all of the advantages of the deflecting tool shown in the tool describedinthe patent to Carpenter, No.

24502338, and inaddition being of a simplified construction whereby assembly and disassembly of the tool isfacilitated.

The construction designed to carryout the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from areading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein an example of the invention is shown,

, andwvherein:

Figure l isa transverse, vertical sectional view -01? a deflecting tool constructed in accordance with :the invention and showing said tool in the position which it-assumes during lowering of the stool within a well bore,

Figure 2 is a transverse, sectionalview of the universal joint of said tool and showingthe parts i in .a l position with the gravity actuated orienting meansreleased,

Figure 3lis a view similar to Figure l and'il-lustinting thentool in drilling position,

Figure :4 is a horizontal, cross-sectional --view taken-on-the line 4--4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken on the iine fi fi of Figure 2,-and

Figure 6 is enlarged detail illustrating a modified form of orienting (member.

In the drawings, the letter D designates the ==usual rotatable drill pipe or stem is .adapted'to-ibe lowered through the well bore W. .The drill stemhas a drill bit E-con-nec-ted to-its lower end lay-means of the improved knuckle-or landithebit is arranged to be deflected-into a 'iinowzn =01 predetermined direction from the vertical.

The bit is locked or held in such deflected position so that the pipe or stem D'may berotated to properly orient the bit, after which a drillingoperation in the desired direction may be accomplished. The improved joint A includes an outer annular body or shell-l5 which may have: reaming blades illa formed on its exterior surf-ace. Thebodylor shell has an axial bore H at its lower portion :and said here is counterbored or enlarged at If-2 whereby an internal annular beveled seat 1.3 is formed therein. The upper end of the @counterbore is formed with vertically extending grooves pr recesses 14 which are located diametrically opposite each other. Vertically extending grooves or recesses l5 are also formed in the body at the lower portion thereof, said grooves being cut in the bore H.

An inner shell or sleeve It which has its upper end threaded onto the lower end of a connecting sub ll is coupled to the drill pipe ID by means of said sub and said inner shell or sleeve has its lower portion disposed within the upper end of the outer shell or body [0. The extreme lower end of the sleeve it is formed with an annular seating surface l8 which under certain conditions, as will be explained, is adapted to engage the annular seat It within the outer body H]. The sleeve H5 is rotatably coupled to the outer body by means of radial connecting pins I9 which extend outwardly from the sleeve and which engage within the upper radial grooves or recesses i l in said body. By observing Figures 1 to 3 it will be seen that the depth of the recess is greater than the projection of the pins 19, whereby the outer body lilo may swing or incline from the axis of the inner sleeve or snell I6 without breaking the rotatable connection formed by the engage- 'ment of the pins iii within the grooves [4.

The inner shell or sleeve It has an axial bore 2!} extending entirely therethrough and nearer the lower end of said bore an internal annular shoulder 2i is provided. Below the shoulder 2|, the wall a of the bore is flared or inclined out- 'wardly toward the lower end of the sleeve, this inclined surface terminating adjacent the annular seating surface It at the lower end of the sleeve. A ball member 22 is mounted within the 'bore 20 of the inner shell or sleeve l6 and has its upper spherical surface engaged" by a cylindrical socket element 23. The element 23 has its lower end formed with a semi-spherical socket 24 in its lower surface and an axial bore 25 extends upwardly from said socket to the top of the element. A suitable packing ring 2% encircles the socket element and seals off the space between,

said element and the bore 28 of the inner shell or sleeve. A spacer collar 21 is disposed within the bore 233 above the socket element 23 and normally the upper end of said collar is spaced from the lower end lid of the coupling ll. A coil spring 28 of considerable strength has its lower 7 end engaging the upper surface of the socket element 23 while its upper end engages an annular shoulder 29 formed within the bore llb of the coupling H. The spring 28 exerts its pressure to constantly urge the socket element 23 into firm engagement with the upper surface of the ball member '22.

The ball member has its lower portion cut away to form an external annuiar surface or shoulder 3t and as is clearly shown in Figure 1, the shoulder 3G overhangs the internal annular shoulder 21 which is provided in the lower portion of the inner shell or sleeve I6. An orienting ball'3l is disposed between the shoulder 3%] on the ball member and the shoulder 2! within the inner sleeve It, said ball being supported upon the latter shoulder 21 which forms a race or annular support therefor. The ball member 22 is provided with an integral depending shank 32 which extends downwardly through the bore ll of the outer body or shell I6 and said shank is adapted to be rotatably coupled to the outer body by means of a pair of diametrically opposed keys 33 which engage within recesses 34 in the shank and also within the grooves or recesses l5 which as explained, are provided within the bore of the outerbody Ii). The outer body is supported in position on the shank 32 by means of a supporting collar 35 which is threaded onto the shank and which abuts the lower end of the body ID, as is clearly shown in Figure l. The depending shank 32 of the ball member 22 has the drill bit E attached to its lower end and said shank and ball member are formed with an elongate axial bore 36 extending entirely therethrough, This bore has its lower end communicating with the usual circulating passages of the bit E, while its upper end communicates through the bore 25 of the socket element 23, bore 20 of the inner sleeve l6 and bore Ilb of the coupling [l with the bore of the drill pipe D. With this arrangement the usual drilling fluid may be circulated downwardly through the drill pipe and through the joint A and to the bit E during the drilling operation.

In the use of the deflecting tool, the orienting or gravity actuated ball 3| will be disposed between the shoulder 2! of the inner shell or sleeve l6 and the shoulder 3i! provided on the ball member 22. The coil spring 28 acting downwardly on the socket element 23 and ball member 22 will urge the shoulder as of said ball member into contact with the orienting ball 3| and since said ball is located at only one radial point on'said shoulder, the pressure of the spring 28 will cause the ball member 22 to be rotated within the socket 24, with the result that the shank or, stem 32 of the ball member will be inclined. from the axis of the drill pipe and inner shell. This position of the parts is illustrated in Figure 1 and it is in this position that the deflecting tool is lowered downwardly through the well bore W.

The tool is lowered through the well bore until the drill bit E engages the lower end of the bore or a cement plug (not shown) which may have 7 been introduced into the well bore at the point at which the deflection drilling is to occur. When the bit E engages the lower end of the bore, con tinued lowering of the drill stem causes the inner shell E6 to move downwardly with respect to the ball member 22 and downward movement of the shell is ultimately halted by the engagement of the lower end of said shell with the internal seat It within the outer shell. This position of the parts is illustrated in Figure 2 and the downward movement of the inner sleeve it with respect to the ball member 22 disengages the shoulder 38 from the gravity actuated ball 3 l, whereby said ball may roll around its supporting shoulder or race 2i to the low side of the well bore. It is noted that when the seating surface it at the lower end of the inner sleeve l6 engages the internal shoulder i3 of the outer shell,

' the lower end lid of the connecting sub H has respect to the sleeve 15.

engaged the upper end of the spacer collar 2i so that further sliding movement of the socket element 23 within the bore 2c of the sleeve it is prevented.

After the orienting ball ti has rolled around to the low side of the well bore, the drill stem is lifted upwardly a sufficient'dis'tance to disengage the bit E from the lower end of the well bore. When this occurs the coil spring 28 forces the'socket element 23 downwardly and this in turn moves "the ball member 22 downwardly with 7 As the ball member is moved downwardly, one point on its shoulder 3-8 engages the orienting ball 3! and the remainder of the shoulder tends to move downwardly into i engagement with the supportin shoulder or race 2i. This action results in a cooking or inclining of the shank or stem 32 which carries the deace-6,452

' flecting tool. Obviously since the orienting ball 'hl is disposed opposite the low of the well bore, thedirection of inclination will be with the drill bit moving toward the low side of the bore. Thus, it is known that the bit is pr jetted in a directiontow-ard the low side of the hole andsince a previous well survey will give the direction the subsequent rotation "ipe orient the bit and locate it in the desired direction.

Following orientation of the bit E, it is only necessary to again 'imposethe weight of the drill pipe upon the unit and this again moves the inner shell or sleeve it downwardly so that its lower end engages the internal seat l within the outer body it. At the same time the spacer collar 2i engag'esthe lower end of the sub and at this time the spring is under additional compression. Rotation the drill pipe 3) will impart a rotation to the outer body it through the connect pine is and their co-acting grooves or re c s Rotation from the outer shell "or body it transmitted to stem or shank through th keys te slots i5 and 34, is bit rotated. weight or" the drill pipe D is transmitted directly through the inner sleeve it tothe shoulder of the outer bod'y from the outer body through the porting 'colla directly tothe shank 32 and bit Thus, the-re is no weight imposed on the joint which is formed by the ball member Hand the socket neither is there any weight inposed-on the orienting ball 2! It is noted that the race wayor supporting shoulder iii upon which the orienting ball 3! is movable is located at-a point above the lower end of the inner sleeve or body. Any extraneous matter which may enter the joint will enter the upper end of the body it and will fall into the lower portion thereof, which lower portionwill form a settling chamber. There is very little likelihood-of any extraneous matter "ever entering the space between the supporting shoulder 33 of the ball member. It w'ill be recognized that any particles which might accumulate on the race or shoulder 2-! might interfere with proper gravity "or-1e 'ati'cn o'fthe orienting ball 3!. The device is ixceptionally simple in assembly since it is only necessary to remove the supporting collar Sil -in "order to permit the outer body it! to be slid downwardly and disengaged from the shank The spring, socket-element and ball member 22 may be easily removed Icy-merely disconnecting the sub El and removing these par-ts from the upper end of the inner shell or sleeve.

In Figures 1 to 5 an orienting ball 31 has "been illustrated as the orienting member but it is pointed out that other types of gravity actuated means may be employed for accomplishing the purpose of deflecting the joint. In Figure 6 a modified form of orienting member is illustrated. In this form the orienting member indicated at takes the formoi" .acollar or-annular weighted member. The collar is mounted on suitable bearings l! so as to be freely rotatable on the supporting shoulder or race 21. The upper surface of the collar is beveled to provide a high point 32 and adjacentthis point, the collar is suitably weighted so that this high point on the collar will always fall to the low side when released for rotation. The operation is identical to that hereinb'cfore described. When the weight of the drill pipeis imposed upon the inner sleeve or shell It, the shell is moved downwardly with "respect to the ball member to free the rotatable -sp'ect to the low side.

6 collar 40 iorrotation. The high point of said collar will roll around to the low side and after the weight of the drill pipe is relieved and the parts returned to their original position, the

:upper beveled or inclined surface or the collar 'radialpoint orin any angular position with reisp'ect'to the high point. Thus, the weighted area tor the ringwould always fall to the low side of thehol'e and this would locate the high point 42 which controls thetdirection of cocking or inclination of theshank at any given location with re- With such an arrangement, the bit could be deflected in a predetermined selected direction and rotation of the drill pipe to orient said bit after it has been cocked orinclin'edxwould not be necessary.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory thereofland various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made,

within the-scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

.l. .Ajoint adapted to :couplea drill pipe with a drill bit including, an inner shell connected to the lower end of the drill pipe and having a socket thercin,;a ball member withinsaid socket having a depending shank which is connected to the drill bit, gravity controlled deflecting means interposed between the ball member and sccketin- .cluding an element movable in response to gravity for causing a deflection of said ball member with respect to said socket, an outer body enclosing the lower portion of the inner shell and the upperportion of the depending shank. of the ball member, and means for rotatively coupling the outer body to the shell and also to the shank, whereby rotation of drill pipe and inner shell imparts rotation to the depending shank and .drill bit.

.2. .Agcint adapted to couple a drill pipe with a :drill "-bit including, an inner tubular shell con- :nected to thelower end of the drill pipe andhav- .inglan annular supporting shoulder in the lower portion of its bore, a movable socket mounted in the shell above said shoulder, a .ball member withinthe socket and :having a depending shank which extends downwardly from the bore of the inner shell and which is connected to the drill bit, gravity controlled means confined between the socket and supporting shoulder and functioning to cause deflection (of the ball member within the socket in accordance with its position relative to the socket, and an outer body sur rounding the inner shell and a portion of the de-- pending shank and rotatively coupled to each, whereby rotation of the inner shell is transmitted through the outer body to the shank and drill bit.

.3. A joint as set forth in claim 2, wherein the socket :is maintained in engagement with the ball member 'by resilient means and also wherein the ball member and socket may undergo a limited longitudinal movement with respect to the inner shell to free the gravity controlled means for rotation in an inclined Well bore, whereby the .posi tion of said gravity controlled means and there- "foreithe subsequent deflection of the ball member with respect to the socket is known.

7 4. A joint adapted to couple'a drill pipe with a drill bit including, an inner tubular shell connected to the lower end of the drill pipe and having an annular supporting shoulder in the lower portion, gravity controlled means rotatable on 7 said annular supporting shoulder and normally confined between said shoulder and the shoulder on the ball member, the co-action between the gravity controlled means and the ball member functioning to deflect said member and its shank with respect to the inner shell, said ball member and socket being slidable within the bore of the shell against pressure of the resilient means and in a direction away from the supporting shoulder to release the gravity controlled means for rotation when the joint is within an inclined well bore, whereby said means will assume a predetermined position with respect to the low side of the well bore so that subsequent return of the ball member into engagement with said means will result in a predetermined deflection of said ball member and its shank, and an outer body surrounding the inner shell and a portion of the shank and rotatively coupled to said shell and shank, whereby rotation of the shell is transmitted through the body to the shank and drill bit attached to the latter.

5. A joint as set forth in claim 4, wherein the outer body is connected to the shank in co-axial relationship and also wherein the upper end of the body is recessed at its point of connection to the shell to allow for deflection of the shank with respect to the shell.

6. A joint as set forth in claim 4, wherein the outer body is connected to the shank by a key and slot connection and is connected to the inner shell by a pin and groove connection, with said groove having a depth greater than the length of the pin to allow inclination of the body with respect to the inner shell when the shank is deflected from or misaligned with said inner shell.

7. A joint adapted to couple a drill pipe with a drill bit including, an inner tubular shell connected to the lower end of the drill pipe and having an annular supporting shoulder in the lower portion of its bore, a socket slidable within the bore of the shell above said shell, resilient means engaging the upper end of the socket for constantly urging the same toward said shoulder, a ball member engage'd within the socket and having a downwardly facing shoulder on its lower portion, gravity controlled means rotatable on said annular supporting shoulder and normally confined between said shoulder and the shoulder on the ball member, the co-action between the gravity controlled means and the ball member functioning to deflect said member and its shank with respect to the inner shell, said ball member and. socket being slidable within the bore of the shell against pressure of the resilient means and in a direction away from the supporting shoulder to release the gravity controlled means for rotation when the joint is within an inclined well bore, whereby said means will assume a predetermined position with respect to the low side of the well bore so that subsequent return of the ball member into engagement with said means will result in a predetermined deflection of said ball member and its shank, release of the gravity controlled means 8 being accomplished by imposing the weight of the drill pipe on th inner shell when the ball member and its socket are held stationary by the engagement of the bit at the lower end of the ball member shank with the formation or other support in the well bore, subsequent deflection of the ball member and its shank being effected by relieving the shell of the drill pipe weight,'and an outer body mounted on the portion of the shank and having its upper end enclosing the inner shell and rotatively coupled thereto, whereby rotation of the shell is transmitted through the body to the shank. v r

8. A joint as set forth in claim 7, wherein the gravity controlled means is a ball which rolls upon the supporting shoulder within the inner shell.

9. A joint as set forth in claim 7, wherein the gravity controlled means is a collar which is rotatably mounted on the supporting shoulder within tile 1nner shell and when cm the upper surrace of said collar is inclined or beveled to form a high 7 point on said collar, said collar beig weighted at one radial point thereon to cause rotation of the collar when in an inclined well bore and when the joint has been operated to release the same for rotation.

10. A joint adapted to couple a drill pipe with a drill bit including, an inner tubular shell connected to the lower end or the drill pipe and having an annular supporting shoulder in the lower portion of its bore, a socket slidable within the bore of the shell above said shell, resilient means engaging the upper end of the socket for constantly urging the same toward said shoulder, a ball member engaged within the socket and having a downwardly facing shoulder on its lower portion, gravity controlled means rotatable on said annular supporting shoulder and normally confined between said shoulder and the shoulder on the ball member, the co-action between the gavity controlled means and the ball member lunctioning to deflect said member and its shank withrespect to the inner shell, said ball member and socket being slidable within'the bore of the shell against pressure of the resilient means and in a direction away from the supporting shoulder to release the gravity controlled means for rotation when the joint is within an inclined well bore, whereby said means will assume a predetermined position with respect to the low side of the well bore so that subsequent return of the ball member into engagement with said means willresult in a predetermined deflection of said ball member and its shank, release of the gravity controlled means being accomplished by imposing the weight of the drill pipe on the inner shell when the ball member'and its socket are held stationary by the engagement of the bit at the lower end of the ball member shank with the formation or other support in the well bore, subsequent defiection of the ball member and its shank being effected by relieving the shell of the drill pipe weight, a supporting collar on the upper portion of the shank of said ball member, an outer body surrounding the upper portion of the shank and resting on the supporting collar, the upper portion of the bore of said body surrounding the inner shell, means for rotatably coupling the outer shell to the shank, and additional means for rotatably coupling the upper' end of'the body to said inner shell, said lastnam'ed means permitting inclination of the outer body with respect to the shell without breaking the rotative connection therebetween.

11. A joint as set forth in claim 7, wherein the outer body is provided with an internal annular seat which is adapted to be engaged by the lower end of the inner shell after the shank and drill bit have been deflected and a subsequent drilling operation is carried out, whereby the weight of the drill stem is transmitted directly from the shell to the outer body and thence to the drill bit during the drilling operation.

12. A joint for connection in a drill stem, comprising a member having a ball and to which a drill bit is connected anda member having a socket and to which the drill stem is connected, said socket being above the ball when received therein, gravity controlled means for imparting a bend ing force to the joint at the ball and socket connection when the joint is in a predetermined condition, said gravity controlled means having an element movable in response to gravity and being positioned beneath said ball member and protected thereby, and means for driving the member having the ball by the member having the socket.

13. A joint for connecting a drill stem to a drill bit, comprising a ball and socket universal joint, gravity control means for causing a bending at the universal joint, means for coupling the parts of the universal joint together so that rotation of the drill stem will rotate the drill bit, and means embodied in said joint whereby when downward drilling forces are applied through said joint to the drill bit during drilling operations said forces will be transmitted through said joint without excessive engaging pressures being established between the ball and socket of the universal joint.

LEE R. LEISSLER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Lewis Oct. 1, 1935 Number 

